The high incidence of obesity amongst adults and children has become a major issue in the U.S. and other countries. On average, Americans consume more calories on a daily basis than is recommended by health experts. A large majority of those additional daily calories come from consuming sugary beverages such as sodas and juices. The options currently in practice to reduce calorie intake from consumption of beverages are: a) replace sugar or glucose in beverages with artificial sweeteners, b) drink beverages that have a reduced sugar content, c) eliminate altogether the consumption of sugary or high calorie beverages, and d) limit the daily intake of sugary drinks to a level recommended by health experts. Artificial sweeteners create an unpleasant taste experience for many people and medical research indicates that they may increase weight gain and the likelihood of developing certain diseases if taken frequently and over an extended duration. Beverages that contain lower sugar content can also provide an unpleasant or unfulfilling taste experience for many people, and are often more expensive than traditional sodas and juices. Research studies have indicated that drinking small quantities of sugary drinks, maintained within recommended limits, are normally not detrimental for otherwise healthy individuals. However, for many people, especially children, relying on will power alone to control or moderate their daily intake of sugary drinks is challenging and often not a practical and sustainable goal.
In addition to calories and sugar, there are other constituents in beverages, such as caffeine and sodium, that if ingested in large enough quantities can negatively impact health or contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle. By using the mandatory nutrient data labeling on beverage containers, for example, it is possible for individuals to track their daily consumption of calories and nutrients, and to take corrective action if cumulative levels exceed personal or recommended daily limits. In theory, a person can maintain a daily written record of liquid volume consumed, and then calculate the corresponding calories and nutrient quantities being consumed from each beverage. However, this “manual” method requires a deep commitment in time and is often difficult to do correctly in a routine and consistent fashion, making it an impractical and unsustainable approach to the problem. Besides the inherent difficulties in monitoring one's liquid intake of calories and nutrients, there is the even greater challenge of correcting and controlling personal drink behavior that may be detrimental to a person's short and long term health and well-being. For parents, caretakers or caregivers, and individuals to accomplish this on a regular basis requires extensive discipline, will power, training, and supervision. This is particularly true for young children and for patients that must limit their daily intake of fluids such as individuals on dialysis and people that have experienced heart failure.
The amount and rate at which individuals consume water, sugary drinks, and other beverages in a single sip (or swallow) or with multiple sips over several seconds or minutes can also contribute to an unsafe and less enjoyable drink experience. Drinking water or other beverages in large swallows and/or too quickly (“chugging” or “gulping”) may place undue strain on internal organs, such as kidneys, and can cause sodium levels in the blood to drop to unhealthy or dangerous levels. In extreme and rare cases, drinking too much water in too short of a time period can lead to death—a condition known as Water Intoxication. Drinking too quickly can also pose an unsafe situation with medical patients that have difficulty swallowing, are prone to choking and aspiration (drawing liquid into the lungs), or require special assistance and monitoring when drinking fluids. In hot weather or when very thirsty, children and adults may drink sodas and juices too quickly, in successive sips with no breaks other than to take a breath of air. Besides increasing the likelihood of choking and creating bad drink habits, drinking too quickly can also diminish the enjoyment of consuming a tasty beverage, since a large portion of the liquid is swallowed instead of coming into contact with taste buds in the mouth.
The present invention helps individuals manage their daily liquid intake of water and calories, caffeine, nutrients, and other constituents in beverages by automatically monitoring and controlling the amount, frequency, and rate at which sugary drinks and other beverages can be consumed through a drinking straw or mouthpiece. In addition, the present invention is capable of being used in other useful ways, including but not limited to: rationing water over a finite time interval in cases where access to clean water supply is limited; for transitioning young children from sippy cups to straws; to teach and train children, adolescents and adults how to drink beverages in a healthier and more enjoyable manner; to regulate both the volume and rate at which medical patients consume water, beverages, and medicinal liquids; to regulate liquid consumption by domesticated animals during transit and while in habitat.
US20140303790A1 describes a liquid management system that utilizes gyroscopic sensors, to estimate and track the consumption of pollution index and nutrient index contained in a beverage being consumed by a person. The system compares the information being tracked against recommended limits and provides notifications via Light Emitting Diodes on the drink container.
In U.S. Pat. No. 9,364,109B2, an apparatus is described for controlling liquid volume dispensed from a hand-held container, utilizing a piston to transfer liquid from a reservoir to an individual sucking on a straw. The piston moves axially via the suction force created by the individual sucking on the straw and with the aid of a spring. To fill or re-fill the reservoir with liquid, a pump or other similar conveying method is required to transfer liquid from an external source to the hand-held container.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,167,928 provides a method for limiting the rate of liquid consumption to prevent medical patients from swallowing liquids at too fast of a rate, which may lead to choking and possible aspiration. The method involves the insertion of valve and sealing components within the interior section of a straw that function together to prevent liquid flow when a patient sucks on a straw with excessive force. Valve components of different sizes are required depending on the density of the fluid or beverage being consumed. A caretaker must remove and insert different valve components if a patient drinks varying fluids.
Prior art has focused on hydration and nutrition tracking devices to monitor hydration levels and nutritional intake from food and beverages, and to notify the user if he/she is not consuming a sufficient amount of water, or if the user is eating or drinking too often or too quickly. By providing individuals and caretakers the ability to automatically regulate and modify unhealthy drink behavior to meet specific nutritional and hydration goals, the present invention takes a significant step beyond merely monitoring an individual's daily intake of water and nutrients. The present invention allows individuals to automatically monitor and regulate the frequency, volume, and rate of liquid consumption to aid in achieving a healthier lifestyle, safe hydration, train and improve drink habits, and provide a more pleasurable drink experience. Additionally, the design and construction of the present invention provides spill-free operation and a high degree of portability and ease of use, such as use of standard drinking straws and a conventional gravity assist method in the liquid filling process.